For sale 1972 Mercedes Benz 450SL. garaged for the last 10 years. According to Benzworld this car was built in September of 1971 for the European market and is the 946th 450 SL built, vin # is 10704412000946 .This car has 75,062 original miles and has both tops. It was purchased in Portland Oregon from Don Rasmussen Company January 1st 1972 and has remained in the same family. The car runs and drives great, everything on the car works except the clock. Car was just serviced at Wilsonville Mercedes Benz, fuel lines, gas tank flushed and 90% of the hoses replaced, around $2400. Please include your phone number for all inquiring. More photos upon request.
Asking $14,000 Thanks for looking, Steve

I think that is a fair price to start with. You can always come down but it is hard to go up once it's out there.

Edit: That is a US market vehicle not European. Don't know who told you otherwise. The European market did not receive the 107044 until the 1973 model year. There is much more we can tell you but that is best discussed on the 107 forum.

I sold a 1973 with 71,000 that was a color change and a salvage reconstruct for $8500. It was a nice car and almost everything was done in the car it was a cheap good-looking, well-maintained car when I sold it. However:
- it was a salvage reconstruct!
- it was a color change vehicle
- it was not the first year of the (North American) body style.
- it did not have a chrome shifter plate
- it did not leave the factory with a metal blower cover.
- it didn't have the bigger map pockets
- it did not have floormats with ducks on them.

The car in this post certainly looks like a much better collector in my opinion, and probably the most collectible of the North American models in my opinion (but 560sl seem to still be bringing the top dollar).

Some great things about all 1972-1973 450sl:
- They have the metal backed timing chain guides, nearly eliminating the risk of catastrophic engine failure that all 1974-1989 mb107s have due to their plastic timing chain guides, which can break and cause the chain to skip teeth.
- They have the small European style bumpers.
- they have brass radiator overflow containers
- they have full chrome grill stars, not plastic with a thin sheet of stainless on the front.
- they have rubber trunk mats, a simple clean look with no carpet to get dirty or wet.
- they have steering wheels with chrome trim around the horn buttons on the steering wheel.
- they have two-piece seat belts that let you know you are stepping into an old classic roadster with a mind for safety.

Soo...

If your car is very well maintained, then your car is worth every penny of the $14,000.

Potential items to check:
- any records of timing chains service, or at least checking the chain for stretch?
- is there any rust at all?
- how is the rubber on the underside of the car?
- has the subframe recall been performed?
- are there any leaks?
- is the linkage (throttle or shifter) loose at all?
- how's the paint?
- how's the soft top?

That's a good start. If the car passes the above tests, I see no problem with the car being worth $14,000.

P.s.
I fixed the clock in my car. There is a "fuse" that is simply a wad of solder. Solder it back together and the clock is back in business. I posted what I did here. I tried the diode "enhancement" method, but failed. If you can't find the clock repair information and want it, let me know. Pretty simple and one of the cleanest jobs you can do on a car.

Edit:
A closer look at some pics and I can see some areas that would knock the car down from a $14,000 prospect. They are possibly correctable:
- seats appear to have tears on side bottom bolsters. New seat covers, or even seats aren't too expensive.
- center console appears dry. Maybe new paint or even just some type of conditioner.
- the hardest to correct is probably that tag you pictured. Why does it appear to be cut on the top edge?